Last



Oct. 29, 1940. vw. l.. BAXTER LAST Filed May 23, 1959 lll Patented Oct. 29, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT i OFFICE LAST Jersey Application May 23, 1939, Serial No. 275,227

8 Claims.

This invention relates to lasts and more partieularly to a last joint which permits the heel part of a last having a shoe thereon to be removed from the forepart of the last Without disturbance of the shoe on the forepart.

The forepart and heel part of a last of this type are commonly provided with plane joint surfaces on which the last parts slide on each other and which are so inclined as to cause a shortening of the last when the last parts are so slid to facilitate the removal of the heel part of the last from a shoe thereon. The parts of such a last are commonly connected by aV slotted plate s mounted on one of the last partsI and a stud or studs carried by the other last part which cooperate with the plate to hold the last parts securely together in their assembled relation and yet permit them to be slid on each other out of their assembled relation.

It is a principal object of the invention to provide a last having a durable, rigid and easily manufactured joint of the type referred to above which will permit the forepart and heel part of the last to be relatively moved to cause a shortening of the last with greater ease than heretofore.

I have accordingly provided in a last having a joint of the type referred to above, improved bonding means for connecting the last parts comprising a bonding plate mounted on one of the last partsl and which has a terraced surface adapted to be engaged by the head of a stud carried by the other last part When they are in their assembled relation and from which the head of the stud is axially separated to relax its clamping action when the last parts are slid on each other to disassemble the last. Thus, shortly after the sliding movement of the last parts out of their assembled relation has begun, the head of the stud is moved off the level of the terraced surface of the bonding plate which it normally engages and over a relatively lower level of the plate thereby providing clearance between the plate and stud which permits the last parts to be slid thereafter with no substantial resistance in the joint itself.

Preferably, and as herein illustrated, the forepart of the last is provided with a pair of studs, the heads of which are disposed at different distances from the joint surface of the forepart, the heads of these studs being arranged to engage different levels of the terraced surface of the above-mentioned plate when the last parts are in their assembled relation.

The forepart and heel part of the illustrated last are releasably held in their assembled relation by a bolt which cooperates with the bonding plate, the bolt being slidably mounted in a holder which, in accordance With another feature of the invention, is mounted as a part of an integral unit including said studs as herein illustrated, the holder and studs being provided with peripheral grooves which are spaced at the same distance from the joint surface of the forepart, and the grooves being adapted to receive a collar or band which causes the bolt and studs to be fixedly positioned both axially and radially in the desired relation with'respect to each other.

These and other features of the invention will appear more fully from the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing and will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a View in elevation of an illustrative last embodying the invention, the forepart and heel part in the vicinity of the joint being shown partly in section to show the bonding means connecting them; and

Figs. 2 and 3 are perspective views illustrating the bonding means on the heel part and forepart, respectively.

The illustrated last comprises a forepart l0 and a heel part l2 having joint surfaces I4, i6, respectively, on which they are adapted to slide with respect to each other in such a direction as to provide a shortening in* the length of the last thereby facilitating the removal of a shoe therefrom. The forepart and heel part are normally connected by bonding means comp-rising a plate i8 integral with the heel part l2 and studs 20, 22 Xedly mounted in the fcrepart l, the plate and studs cooperating when the last parts are assembled to hold their joint surfaces I4, i6 together. 40

The plate I8 is provided with a slot 24 adapted to receive the Shanks of the studs 20, 22 the heads of which overlie and engage a terraced surface on the inner side of the plate having a lower level 25, an intermediate level 28, and a higherl level 3D, disposed at different distances from the joint surface I6. The slot 24 has circular enlargements 32, 34 adapted to receive the heads of the studs 20, 22 to permit the assembly and separation of the last parts, the enlarge- 50 ment 34 being adapted also to receive a locking plunger 35 slidably mounted in the forepart l0 to prevent any sliding movement between the last parts when they are in their assembled relation. The enlargement 32 is big enough to re- 55 ceive the head of the stud 2D but is too small to admit the locking plunger 35 as it slides over the enlargement into a position of alinement With the enlargement 34.

To facilitate the manufacture of the illustrated last and also to insure an accurate relation between the studs 2D, 22 as to the heights of their heads above the joint surface I4 so that they will cooperate properly with the surfaces 28, 30 of the plate I8, the studs, and also the locking plunger 36, are first assembled as a unit Which is then securely mounted in the forepart I9 as Will now be described. The body portions of the studs 20, 22 as Well as a holder 38 in Which the plunger 36 is slidably mounted have peripheral grooves formed at the same dis-tance from the joint surface I4 and arranged to receive a collar or band Which is stamped or other- Wise formed about them so that they are held in the desired fixed relation with respect to each other, as indicated in Figs. l and 3. The studs 2B, 22 and the holder 38 are inlaid into the forepart Ill With the outer surface of the holder flush With the joint surface I 4 and With the heads of the studs 2U, 22 extending from the joint surface I4 at distances corresponding to the heights of the surfaces 28, 30, respectively, With respect to the joint surface I6. The studs and holder are locked in the forepart Il) by a pin 42 inserted heightwise in the last so as to avoid any tendency of splitting the last and so that it is received in grooves 44 formed at the inner ends of the studs.

The locking plunger 36 is yieldingly held so as to project slightly out of the holder 38 and beyond the joint surface I4 by a spring 45, the ejection of the plunger 36 from the holder 38 being prevented by a shoulder on the plunger arranged to engage the bottom of the holder.

In the use of the illustrated last the forepart and heel part Il), I2 are first assembled by inserting the heads of the studs 2D, 22 through the enlargements 32, 34. The last parts are then slid on each other, the locking plunger 3B first being cammed into the holder 38 by engaging a chamfered surface 48 on the bottom of the heel part I2 and later being held depressed in the holder 3B by its engagement With the plate I8 until. the heads of the studs are moved over the surfaces 28, 3G so that the plunger 36 is alined with and enters the enlargement 34 under the influence of the spring 46. It will now be apparent that although the joint surfaces I4, I6 are securely held against each other when the last parts are in their assembled relation, the clamping action afforded by the studs 20, 22 and the plate E8 is relaxed as soon as the heads of the studs 2K3, 22 are moved a short distance equal approximately to their diameter out of engagement With the surfaces 23, 30, respectively, thereby substantially eliminating frictional resistance in the last joint to the sliding of the last parts on each other throughout the greater part of their movement.

The last is disassembled by first depressing the plunger 36 out of engagement With the plate I8 by any suitable means such, for example, as a jack of the type disclosed in Letters Patent of the United States No. 2,054,935, granted September 22, i936, upon application of J. B. Hadaway, and then sliding the last parts on each other until the studs 2B, 22 are alined with the enlargements 32, 34, respectively, when the last parts may be freely separated.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A last comprising fore and heel parts having joint surfaces on which the last parts are adapted to slide on each other into and out of assembled relation, one of said last parts comprising a stud having a head, and a bonding plate carried by the other last part through Which plate said stud extends, said plate having a terraced surface arranged to be engaged by the head of said stud when the last parts are in assembled relation and from which the head of said stud is axially separated when the last parts are slid on each other to disassemble the last.

2. A last comprising fore and heel parts having joint surfaces on which the last parts are adapted to slide upon each other into and out of assembled relation, one of said last parts comprising studs having heads disposed at dierent distances from its joint surface, and a bonding plate carried by the other last part through which plate said studs extend, said plate having surfaces normally engaged by the heads of said studs and from which said studs are axially separated When the last parts are slid on each other to disassemble the last.

3. A last comprising fore and heel parts one of Which carries a bonding plate having a joint surface on which the other last part is adapted to slide, and studs mounted on said other last part and arranged to extend through said plate, said plate having surfaces parallel to and spaced at different distances from said joint surface, said last mentioned surfaces being arranged to be engaged by said studs to hold the last parts against each other when in assembled relation and to be separated from said studs axially thereof when the last parts are slid on each other to disassemble the last.

4. A last comprising fore and heel parts with a sliding joint between them, a bonding plate mounted on one of said last parts and having a slot therein, and a stud carried by the other last part, said stud extending through said slot and having a head overlying said plate, said plate having parallel surfaces connected by an inclined surface, one of said parallel surfaces being normally engaged by the head of said stud, said stud being axially separated from the other of said surfaces to relax its clamping action when the last parts are slid on each other to disassemble the last.

5. A last comprising fore and heel parts having joint surfaces adapted to slide on each other parallel to said surfaces, the forepart carrying fixed studs having heads disposed at different distances from its joint surface, and a bonding plate mounted on the heel part, said plate having a slot through Which said studs extend and a terraced surface adapted to be engaged by the heads of said studs When the last parts are in their assembled relation.

6. A last comprising fore and heel parts having joint surfaces adapted to slide on each other parallel to said surfaces, a slotted bonding plate mounted on one of said last parts having a terraced surface, a stud carried by the other of said last parts and arranged to cooperate With said plate normally to hold the joint surfaces of said last parts against each other, and a yieldingly mounted bolt .cooperating with said plate and said other last part to lock the last parts against any sliding movement When they are in their assembled relation.

7. A last comprising fore and heel parts with a sliding joint between them, bonding means connecting said last parts comprising a plate, studs and a bolt, a sleeve in which said bolt is yieldingly mounted, said sleeve and studs having peripheral grooves, and a member seated in said grooves for positioning said bolt and studs axially and radially with respect to each other.

8. A last comprising fore and heel parts having joint surfaces adapted to slide on each other, bonding means connecting said last parts, said means comprising a plate mounted on said heel part, a pair of studs and a locking bolt .carried by said forepart and adapted to engage said plate, a holder in which said bolt is slidably mounted, said studs and holder having peripheral grooves formed at the same distance from the joint surface of said forepart, and a band rreceived in said grooves whereby said holder and studs are held as a unit in the same axial relation with respect to the joint surface of the forepart.

WILLIAM L. BAXTER. 

